Rural firefighting is in family's blood

Four generations of volunteers in Shelter Valley

Portrait of family members of the Shelter Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. at their fire station, LtoR: Kevin Bennett and wife Jennifer Bennett, Sam Bennett, 15, Noah Bennett, 13, and Jerry Sanders, 82. Noah and Sam are the children of Kevin and Jennifer and Jerry is Jennifer's grandfather.
— Charlie Neuman

Portrait of family members of the Shelter Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. at their fire station, LtoR: Kevin Bennett and wife Jennifer Bennett, Sam Bennett, 15, Noah Bennett, 13, and Jerry Sanders, 82. Noah and Sam are the children of Kevin and Jennifer and Jerry is Jennifer's grandfather.
— Charlie Neuman

Many of the most traumatic calls over the years have been accidents along the highways.

“In my early days, this was a main artery for sneaking in illegals and whenever they got in trouble the driver would always drive like hell,” Sanders said. “We had at least four mass casualties, probably more than any other volunteer department.

“My first was four dead on scene and 17 injured,” he said. “The injured were riding in the back of a pickup truck.”

Why has the family taken volunteer firefighting to heart?

“A lot of people don’t do it so I guess we’re in a special group,” Sanders said. “The people who volunteer put all their effort and time into it and feel good about what they’re doing.”

“As a fireman, every time you walk through a door you know they are happy to see you, that they need your help,” Kevin Bennett said.

“For our family it’s a blessing to know how to help other people,” said Jennifer Bennett.

Sanders said all the neat stuff that comes with the job is part of the allure.

“You get to blow the siren,” he said.

“There is that draw,” Kevin Bennett agreed with a smile. “You get the big red firetrucks, you get all the fancy tools. You get to do things at the fire station and wear the uniform. There is that draw. But ultimately it’s a job that has to get done. And if we are able to do it, well that’s what we should do. You’re supposed to help your neighbor.”

Today the Shelter Valley department, under the control of the San Diego County Fire Authority, is staffed 24 hours a day by trained volunteer firefighters who, with the exception of the Bennetts, are from all over the county. The mostly young volunteers — who are technically called “reserve” firefighters — are paid a stipend and work for the authority at various volunteer departments in hopes that the experience will eventually lead to full-time firefighting positions somewhere.

“But we’ve kept it a family affair,” Jennifer Bennett said. “When the guys come onto the station we still consider them family. “We have Christmas here and Thanksgiving dinner with the china and the flowers.”